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What is it like to work in an abortion clinic or pregnancy center? Our reporters visited both.

While the missions are different, there are echoes, about courage and compassion
MONICA HERNDON | Times
MONICA HERNDON | Times
Published Aug. 2, 2019

For years, Florida has been an outlier, a haven for abortion seekers in a more hostile South. That’s because the state Constitution protects “from governmental intrusion into the person’s private life.” But now, abortion foes across the country have launched a barrage of severe restrictions, some designed deliberately to dismantle precedent.

The conversation around abortion is typically reported from courtrooms and Capitols. The Tampa Bay Times wanted to take a deeper look at a divisive issue.

The abortion clinic

A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville MONICA HERNDON   |   Times
A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville MONICA HERNDON | Times

We met the staff at A Woman’s Choice of Jacksonville, who are already seeing more patients from Georgia. Their mission, in the middle of so much uncertainty, is to give women freedom and compassion. Read the story.

The pregnancy center

First Coast Women's Services MONICA HERNDON   |   Times
First Coast Women's Services MONICA HERNDON | Times

We drove up Interstate 95 to First Coast Women’s Services, where the staff wants women considering abortion to slow down, know they’re supported and consider the risks, however rare. Right now, the center feels a sense of momentum. Read the story.

The debate

And read the first story in the series: A conservative legislator from the Panhandle wants to outlaw abortion at six weeks. A progressive legislator from Orlando wants to protect abortion rights. They work down the hall from each other.